Candle



Sept. 28, 1965 F. D. TURNER 3,2@8,245

CANDLE Filed Oct. 50, 1963 United States Patent 3,208,245 CANDLE Frank D. Turner, Oshkosh, Wis., assignor to Victrylite Candle Co., Oshkosh, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Oct. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 320,155 4 Claims. (Cl. 67-22) This invention relates to candles of the type especially intended for use with holders equipped with an upwardly projecting spike upon which the candle is impaled as the candle is placed on the holder. Torchres, or tall candle holders, which often stand on the floor, are generally always provided with such spikes. The purpose of the spikes is, of course, to provide greater assurance that the candle will be securely held by the holder.

The wax of which candles are made is hard and brittle at normal room temperatures. Consequently, it was extremely difiicult in the past to place a candle on a holder of the spiked type without cracking and splitting of the candle body. In recognition of this disadvantage, this invention has as its purpose and object to provide a candle which will not split or crack as it is forced down onto or impaled upon the spike of a holder.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates two complete examples of the physical embodiments of the invention, constructed according to the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a candle embodying this invention and illustrating the same in position upon a holder of the type having an upwardly protruding spike upon which the candle is impaled, said view having parts thereof broken away and in section;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the candle with a part broken away and in section, but illustrating the same before it is set onto the holder; and

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 5 designates the body of a candle which, as is customary, is formed of wax that is relatively hard and brittle at ordinary room temperatures. The body 5 may assume any desired shape and, in the present instance, is cylindrical. Often it is quite long, though the candle shown in the drawing is relatively short. As is customary, a wick 6 extends longitudinally down through the center of the body.

The bottom end portion of the body has a bore or socket 7 extending axially up into it for a distance which is roughly equal to the diameter of the body. The bore 7 contains a plug 8 which may be formed of any material that has the following characteristics:

(1) It must remain pliable and deformable at room temperatures;

(2) It must be compatible with the wax body of the candle; and

(3) It must bond readily to the wax body.

Amorphous, micro-crystalline wax, which. sets with fiat, plate-like crystal particles, has all of these attributes and, in addition, has the added advantage of being mildly tacky or adhesive at normal room temperatures.

In view of the pliability of the material of which the plug 8 is formed, it will readily yield and deform or flow as needed to accommodate the spike 9 of a candle holder 10 as the candle is placed or seated upon the holder. Ordinarily, the spikes of candle holders such as those shown in FIGURE 1, are tapered so that as the spike enters the plug 8 the material of the plug is compressed radially and flows downwardly out of the mouth of the bore 7 between the bottom surface 11 of the candle and the adjacent top face of the holder. The resulting layer 12, due to its tackiness or adhesiveness, aids in securing the candle in position on the holder.

Most important, however, is the fact that the pliability of the material of which the plug 8 is formed allows the candle to be impaled upon the tapered spike 9 without stressing the body of the candle to the point of rupture.

It is, of course, understood that the diameter of the bore or socket 7, and hence of the plug 8 which fills it, should be large enough to accept the largest diameter spike which might be encountered in holders of the type here involved.

Although the tapered spike will enter the plug 8 in the manner described, even though the plug has a solid cross section as shown in FIGURE 2, entry of the spike into the plug will be facilitated if the plug has an axial bore 13, as in the modified embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 3.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent that this invention overcomes an objection that has been inherent in candles for many years, and that the means by which it accomplishes this objective is extremely simple.

What is claimed as my invention is:

1. In a candle having a body of wax which is hard and brittle at normal room temperatures, and a wick extending through the body, the improvement which enables the candle to be impaled upon a pointed spike rising from the top face of the holder upon which the candle sets when properly positioned on the holder, without stressing the body of the candle to the point of rupture, and which improvement comprises:

(A) a bore of a diameter considerably greater than that of the wick, extending upwardly into the body of the candle from the bottom end thereof; and

(B) a plug of plastic material filling the bore,

(1) the material of which the plug is formed being compatible with and bonding readily to the wax body of the candle, and

( 2) being pliable so as to be readily deformed and forced out of the mouth of the bore to spread out between the bottom of the candle and the top face of the holder as the candle is impaled upon the spike and set onto the holder.

2. In a candle, the improvement set forth in claim 1, wherein the plug is formed of an amorphous microcrystalline Wax.

3. In a candle, the improvement set forth in claim 1, wherein the bore and the plug in it extend up into the body of the candle for a distance roughly equal to the maximum girth dimension of the body.

4. In a candle, the improvement set forth in claim 1, further characterized by the fact that the plug has an axial bore extending up into it to facilitate entry of the spike of a candle holder.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,689,470 9/54 Turner 67-22 3,733 of 1900 Great Britain. 199,505 6/23 Great Britain.

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CANDLE HAVING A BODY OF WAX WHICH IS HARD AND BRITTLE AT NORMAL ROOM TEMPERTURES, AND A WICK EXTENDING THROUGH THE BODY, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH ENABLES THE CANDLE TO BE IMPALED UPON A POINTED SPIKE RISING FROM THE TOP FACE OF THE HOLDER UPON WHICH THE CANDLE SETS WHEN PROPERLY POSITIONED ON THE HOLDER, WITHOUT STRESSING THE BODY OF THE CANDLE TO THE POINT OF RUPTURE, AND WHICH IMPROVEMENT COMPRISES: (A) A BORE OF A DIAMETER CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN THAT OF THE WICK, EXTENDING UPWARDLY INTO THE BODY OF THE CANDLE FROM THE BOTTOM END THEREOF; AND (B) A PLUG OF PLASTIC MATERIAL FILLING THE BORE, (1) THE MATERIAL OF WHICH THE PLUG IS FORMED BEING COMPATIBLE WITH AND BONDING READILY TO THE WAX BODY OF THE CANDLE, AND (2) BEING PLIABLE SO AS TO BE READILY DEFORMED AND FORCED OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE BORE TO SPREAD OUT BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE CANDLE AND THE TOP FACE OF THE HOLDER AS THE CANDLE IS IMPALED UPON THE SPIKE AND SET ONTO THE HOLDER. 